Changing Your Circumstances

There is so much that God wants for us, and He will give us our wants and righteous desires according to His will and in His own time. But He also wants us to put forth great effort and not just wait for our righteous wants to be granted. He wants the best for us - usually a far better life than we can imagine for ourselves. Sometimes God will even give us things that are not good for us,

especially when our hearts are fixed on those things instead of Him. With that granting comes lessons and learning experiences, and many times those lessons are brutal. Still, with the Lord's help, each of us can grow into the person we are meant to me. It is not about material possessions or status. It is about adopting a righteous and holy mindset. If we can just hold to the knowledge of all we can be and then act upon it, little by little, the Lord will bring us there. Life can and should be joyful, regardless of our circumstances, and change is always a beautiful thing when the Lord is in it.

Gratitude

I absolutely love this quote, because it is nothing but truth.

Despite the upheaval in the world, there are  many, many, many things I am grateful for, but I will only list five:
1. The gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. The healing power of the Atonement.
3. My amazing family.
4. The knowledge that my Father in Heaven and my Savior love me and are always aware of me.
5. For the opportunity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to be another witness that He is the Savior of the World.

So, what are you grateful for?

Happy Sabbath, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Gratitude in Sickness and Health

Dealing with an illness over the past couple of years has brought me many moments of humility and gratitude during the good days and the bad. However, over the past six months or so, I have learned many things.

First: The Lord is ALWAYS aware of us, each and every one, and His comfort is ALWAYS available and ours for the taking.

Second: We can - and should - pray for healing, because we are meant to. But I have also come to understand and accept that God has a plan for each of us, and sometimes health trials are a part of that plan; they are refining, purifying, and testimony-growing when we allow them to be. I understand fully that healing will come in the Lord's time and according to His will. Until then, I will continue on in faith and pray for the strength to endure well.

Third: None of us ever suffer alone. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior love us too much to leave us alone. But . . . we have to allow Them to be there and eagerly embrace the comfort They are so willing to give. I know, I know, it sounds like it is easier said than done, and for many it may be, but I have found that in my case, it can and must be done to the best of my cognizant ability. I always ask for the Savior's help in this because He has been through it all and He knows exactly how I feel.

No matter how much I struggle and how much pain is present on any given day, life is such a beautiful thing to me, and I am truly grateful for the comfort I receive from the Savior, from my family, and caring friends.
Life is meant to be lived fully and each day is to be savored and celebrated. And every time we look for the good in each new day, we express our gratitude to God. A heart full of gratitude brings Him joy.
And that is definitely something to celebrate:-)